St. Francis to expand cancer program

By Cindy Landrum  

FEBRUARY 17, 2011 2:18 p.m. (0)

Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is adding internationally known cancer specialists, expanding its cancer treatment facilities, improving patient access to clinical trials and offering specialized treatment options in response to a growing demand for cancer treatment in the Upstate.

An integral part of the expansion is the St. Francis Hematology Oncology Center for the treatment of blood cancers and disorders, which are among the most difficult to diagnose and treat. Doctors are able to tailor treatment by examining the cancer genes.

Three doctors will lead the center: Dr. Gary Spitzer, one of the primary physician architects of stem cell transplantation at M.D. Anderson Hospital and a doctor who helped develop treatment regimes for Hodgkin’s lymphoma now considered standard of care; Dr. Frits van Rhee, an internationally recognized specialist in the treatment of multiple myeloma and Castleman’s disease who is known for his work in gene array therapy; and Dr. Devena Alston, an oncologist with expertise in blood and solid tumors.

“This is a milestone for Greenville and the Carolinas,” said Mark Nantz, chief executive officer for St. Francis.

The St. Francis Hematology Oncology Center and its partner medical practice, Upstate Oncology Associates, have added more than 30 new jobs in the past year. They expect to add between 50 and 60 new jobs in the next three years.

Since 2000, St. Francis has been involved in more than 500 stem cell transplants. The hospital offers both autologous transplants which use the patient’s own stem cells and alloegenic-related transplants that use stem cells from a patient’s relative. Adult stem cell treatments and research differ from embryonic stem cell research, which has sparked controversy.

Patient volume at the hospital’s infusion center has increased six-fold in the past eight months.

Van Rhee was director of clinical research at the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy at the University of Arkansas, the largest myeloma program in the world, before coming to Greenville.

He said genetic research enables doctors to tailor treatment to the patient because they can identify patients who are at high risk of relapse or who have more aggressive forms of cancer.

He said St. Francis will be the second hematology program in the country to treat patients with gene profiling. The first was at the University of Arkansas.

“We want to grow a reputable program,” said van Rhee, who has a nationwide patient base. “We really want it to be a state-of-the-art program.”

He said he hopes the center will perform 100 stem cell transplants the first year. Spitzer said the program will participate in the most promising clinical trials from some of the major cancer institutions in the country, offering patients who have run out of other options access to the newest drugs and treatment options.

“It’s a whole new level of care,” Spitzer said. “The bottom line is being treated by the right person vs. the wrong person can be the difference between a cure and no cure.”

Alston said the expansion of the St. Francis cancer program will benefit patients because they’ll be able to get comprehensive care close to home. In addition to treating their disease, patients will also have help in making whole lifestyle changes, focusing on nutrition and exercise.

Patients also learn to read their own blood test results so they know when things are going well or if a problem is developing.

“It’s a different approach to cancer care. You’re not just treating the disease, you’re empowering the patient,” she said.